Blue Crab Bowl

Chesapeake Bay Governor's School-Warsaw wins 2007 Blue Crab Bowl

(February 28, 2007) A team from the Chesapeake Bay Governor's School-Warsaw Campus took top honors in the 2007
Blue Crab Bowl at VIMS on February 24th. The team demonstrated its dominance in marine sciences, capturing first place for
the third year in a row.

Nearly 80 students spent the day in heated competition, testing their knowledge of the oceans and marine sciences.
For this milestone event—the tenth Virginia competition—teams came from all corners of the Commonwealth.
Virginia's contest is among the inaugural marine science bowls started in 1998 as part of a project celebrating the
International Year of the Ocean.

VIMS Director Dr. John Wells welcomed students to the contest and commended them on their hard work.
Wells pointed out that the knowledge base, critical thinking, and teamwork skills needed for this competition are
"marketable skills" sought after in scientific colleagues.

Using questions designed by marine scientists, the round-robin, double-elimination contest tested students' knowledge of
oceanography, geology, biology, and maritime history. Guided by their teacher coaches, students broadened their awareness
and understanding of the oceans as they prepared for the competition. The Bowl provides a forum for students who excel
in math and science to receive regional and national recognition for their diligence and talent.

The First Place team from Chesapeake Bay Governor's School-Warsaw was coached by Angela Gauthier.
Team members included students from three schools, representing three different counties:

Luke Bessler, Lancaster High School, Lancaster County

Jonathan Lee, Essex High School, Essex County

Ben Berghuis, Rappahannock High School, Richmond County

Anna Pillow, Rappahannock High School, Richmond County

Andrew Harbin, Rappahannock High School, Richmond County

In addition to their distinctive Blue Crab Bowl trophy, the First Place
team receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Ocean
Sciences Bowl (NOSB®), April 28-30, at Stony Brook University
on Long Island, New York, where they will represent Virginia as they
face 24 other regional champions. The Coach receives a $1,000
Professional Development grant from Virginia Sea Grant to attend
the annual meeting of the National Marine Educators Association,
this year in Portland, Maine. The team also receives a shipboard
experience on Chesapeake Bay to practice gathering oceanographic data, and
passes to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.

Grafton High School took second place in the competition, followed
by Bishop Sullivan Catholic High (Virginia Beach), and Chesapeake
Bay Governor's School-Glenns Campus. Other competing
teams included Amelia County High School; Broadwater
Academy (Exmore); Churchland High (Portsmouth), Fauquier
High (Warrenton); a "hybrid" team
from Fauquier & Liberty high schools (Warrenton and Bealeton); Fredericksburg
Academy, James Monroe High School (Fredericksburg),
Liberty High School (Bealeton), Louisa County High School
(Mineral) Maury High School (Norfolk), Patrick Henry
High (Ashland), and St. Christopher's School (Richmond).

The Blue Crab Bowl is a cooperative effort between VIMS, Virginia Sea Grant, and Old Dominion University's
Department of Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography.
More than 70 faculty, staff, and graduate students from both institutions donated many hours of their time to ensure
the event's success.

Local sponsors of the Blue Crab Bowl include Old Point National Bank; Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in
Virginia; The Mariners' Museum and NOAA's USS Monitor National Marine Sanctuary; Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center;
Pizza Hut (Gloucester Point) and Whitley's Peanut Factory.